RIP: Francois Chevrier, Founder of FXC Corp. in Santa Ana

Francois Xavier Chevrier, president of Santa Ana-based FXC Corp., died on September 17.

He was 81.

Chevrier moved to the U.S. from Canada in 1962 after finishing service with the Canadian Air Force.

He founded FXC in 1973. The privately held company has about 85 workers, and designs and manufactures military life-support equipment, including parachutes and ejection-system components.

The company’s Guardian Parachute brand, acquired in 1976, makes parachutes for the U.S. armed services.

Chevrier, a resident of San Juan Capistrano, has supported the SAFE Association and the Parachute Industries Association. He had been chosen as the recipient of the 2012 SAFE Association Career Achievement Award, which will be presented in October.